HIV Home Test Kits: How They Work and How Accurate They Are

A home test is the most private way to check your HIV status. It also has a longer window than lab tests, which is the part people most often miss. Here is how the kits work, what the FDA says about accuracy, and when a home result can be trusted.

What if I was exposed in the last 3 days?

Don’t start with a home kit. The CDC says PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is medicine that prevents HIV after a possible exposure, that it must be started within 72 hours (3 days) of a recent possible exposure, and that it’s for emergency situations. Go to urgent care or an emergency room now, or contact a health care provider right away. You can test later.

How does an HIV home test kit work?

The CDC describes an HIV self-test as an antibody test you can use at home or in a private place. With the OraQuick test, you swab your upper and lower gums with the device to collect oral fluid and then test the sample. The FDA says it checks for antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2 and that you can read the result within 20 to 40 minutes. The CDC says self-test results come within 20 minutes.

Read the kit instructions first. The CDC says skipping steps may make the test fail, and the kit includes a phone number for help.

How accurate are HIV home tests?

For the OraQuick In-Home test, the FDA gives two figures:

• Sensitivity of about 92%. The FDA explains this means one false negative would be expected out of every 12 test results in people who have HIV.
• Specificity of 99.98%. One false positive would be expected out of every 5,000 test results in people who are not infected.

In plain terms, false positives are rare, but a positive still needs confirming. A negative is less certain, especially soon after exposure, which is where the window period comes in.

How soon after exposure can a home test detect HIV?

The FDA says the window period for the OraQuick In-Home test is about three months. The CDC says antibody tests, the category self-tests fall into, can usually detect HIV 23 to 90 days after exposure. The FDA adds that a negative result doesn’t mean someone is definitely not infected, particularly when exposure may have been within the previous three months.

If you’ve had a recent exposure and can’t wait, a lab test can detect HIV sooner. The CDC says an antigen/antibody lab test with blood from a vein can usually detect HIV 18 to 45 days after exposure, and a NAT 10 to 33 days. The CDC says to test again after the window period for the test you took.

Are mail-in HIV test kits the same?

No. A mail-in kit has you collect a sample at home, such as blood, and send it to a lab. The CDC lists mail-in kits for HIV and says the lab process can take a few days.

There is an important caution. FDA’s page on HIV blood self-collection kits says there are no self-collection kits on the market that it has authorized to collect blood samples. It also says it does not know whether these kits will reliably produce valid, accurate results, and that anyone who used one should talk with a health care provider about their results and whether retesting is medically indicated. If you want a mail-in route, ask the seller exactly what is being tested and whether the kit has FDA authorization, or use a lab visit instead.

Where can I buy an HIV test kit?

HIV.gov says you can buy a self-test at a pharmacy or online, or order a free one through the CDC’s Together Take Me Home initiative, subject to availability. It also says some health departments or insurers may offer free or low-cost self-tests. We can’t confirm what a specific store carries or charges, so check with the store.

What do I do with a positive or negative result?

• Positive: The CDC says to seek laboratory testing to confirm. The FDA says additional testing should be done in a medical setting. A single positive home result is not a final answer.
• Negative, more than three months after exposure: The CDC says that if you test again after the window period, have had no possible exposure during that time, and the result is negative, you do not have HIV.
• Negative, less than three months after exposure: Plan to test again after the window.

Should I use a home test or a lab test?

Use a home test if you value privacy and speed, and at least three months have passed since a possible exposure. Use a lab or clinic test if you need an earlier answer, if you want help interpreting the result, or if you want to test for other infections at the same time.